diff --git a/cmd/watcher/watcher.go b/cmd/watcher/watcher.go
index 4483310..c0cc769 100644
--- a/cmd/watcher/watcher.go
+++ b/cmd/watcher/watcher.go
@@ -83,7 +83,8 @@ func main() {
 		// Wait for a session request
 		session, err := client.PopSession(ctx, withAuth(token, &pb.PopSessionRequest{}))
 		if err != nil {
-			if s, ok := status.FromError(err); ok && s.Code() == codes.NotFound {
+			code, hasCode := status.FromError(err)
+			if hasCode && code.Code() == codes.NotFound {
 				// try getting a new token
 				token, err = getAuthToken(ctx, client, cfg)
 				if err != nil {
@@ -91,7 +92,10 @@ func main() {
 				}
 				continue
 			}
-			log.Error().Err(err).Msg("error creating session")
+			log.Error().Err(err).Str("code", fmt.Sprintf("code %d", code.Code())).Bool("has code", hasCode).Msg("error creating session")
+			continue
+		}
+		if session.Msg.GetId() == nil {
 			continue
 		}
 		go handleSession(ctx, client, token, session, vid)
diff --git a/dbuild/usr/local/bin/watcher b/dbuild/usr/local/bin/watcher
index c0b3775..0481d24 100755
Binary files a/dbuild/usr/local/bin/watcher and b/dbuild/usr/local/bin/watcher differ
diff --git a/pkg/signaler/signaler.go b/pkg/signaler/signaler.go
index e1f70d2..f71e17b 100644
--- a/pkg/signaler/signaler.go
+++ b/pkg/signaler/signaler.go
@@ -130,6 +130,7 @@ func (s *Server) CreateAuthToken(ctx context.Context, request *connect.Request[p
 			return nil, fmt.Errorf("error creating UUID: %v", err)
 		}
 		id = myUUID.String()
+		s.mu.Unlock()
 	}
 
 	token := &internalpb.AuthToken{
@@ -169,7 +170,6 @@ func (s *Server) ListCameras(ctx context.Context, request *connect.Request[pb.Li
 // Optionally, wait_for_update can be set to prevent returning until the Camera has seen the
 // session request, populated candidates, and returned a session offer.
 func (s *Server) CreateSession(ctx context.Context, request *connect.Request[pb.CreateSessionRequest]) (*connect.Response[pb.Session], error) {
-
 	log.Printf("Creating session")
 	defer log.Printf("Done session")
 	thisSession := request.Msg.Session
@@ -224,14 +224,14 @@ func (s *Server) PopSession(ctx context.Context, request *connect.Request[pb.Pop
 	s.mu.Unlock()
 
 	var sess *session
-	tick := time.NewTicker(time.Second * 30)
+	tick := time.NewTicker(time.Second * 20)
 	defer tick.Stop()
 	select {
 	case sess = <-ch:
 		// OK
 	case <-tick.C:
 		// have them retry
-		return nil, connect.NewError(connect.CodeDeadlineExceeded, fmt.Errorf("try again"))
+		return connect.NewResponse(&pb.Session{}), nil
 	}
 
 	if sess == nil {
@@ -253,17 +253,19 @@ func (s *Server) CreateIceMessage(ctx context.Context, request *connect.Request[
 	req := request.Msg
 
 	s.mu.Lock()
-	defer s.mu.Unlock()
 
 	session, ok := s.sessionsById[req.GetSessionIdentifier().GetId()]
 	if !ok {
+		s.mu.Unlock()
 		return nil, status.Errorf(codes.NotFound, "unknown session")
 	}
 
 	if _, ok := s.camerasByHome[authToken.Home]; !ok {
+		s.mu.Unlock()
 		return nil, status.Errorf(codes.NotFound, "home %q not found", authToken.Home)
 	}
 	_, isCamera := s.camerasByHome[authToken.Home][authToken.Uid]
+	s.mu.Unlock()
 
 	session.createTime = time.Now()
 	msg := req.GetIceMessage()
diff --git a/prod.yaml b/prod.yaml
index 9850287..8af3c93 100644
--- a/prod.yaml
+++ b/prod.yaml
@@ -17,7 +17,7 @@ spec:
     spec:
       containers:
       - name: signaler
-        image: us-central1-docker.pkg.dev/home-sensors-400805/signaler/image:20240110-2245
+        image: us-central1-docker.pkg.dev/home-sensors-400805/signaler/image:20240115-2309
         command:
         - /signaler
         ports: